Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, who was convicted in the rape case of his domestic help in June 2009, said he is innocent.

"I am innocent. I have been framed in the case, " said Ahuja, who was recently released on bail.

"I was convicted even before my trial began, my lawyer wasn't even asked to speak in court, " the actor said.

Ahuja was all praises for his wife Anupam for standing by him through the odds.

"I am blessed to have wife for whom I had so much love, but now I have both admiration and love for her and my girl for whom I have to go on, " said Ahuja.

On Apr 27, the Bombay High Court granted him bail against a surety of Rs 50, 000.

Reacting to Ahuja's bail, his wife Anupam said: "I knew justice will be done. He is innocent."

Ahuja on Apr 19 moved the high court against the Mumbai court sentence.

Ahuja, in his appeal, said the alleged victim has already said she was neither raped nor molested by the actor.

"The judge has inferred that the minor abrasions on Ahuja's wrist must have been caused by the girl. But, the doctor stated that the girl's nail clippings taken for DNA analysis tested negative for Ahuja's DNA, " read his appeal.

"The judge has refused to consider the evidence that proves Shiney's innocence and has drawn unwarranted conclusions/ inferences devoid of any legal basis, " said Ahuja in his appeal.

A fast-track Sewri court on Mar 30 read out the verdict convicting Ahuja and sentenced him to minimum seven years in jail.

Ahuja, who was present as the verdict was being pronounced, broke down in the court.

He was directly taken to jail from the court.

Ahuja was granted bail by the Mumbai High Court on October 1, 2009, on a surety of Rs 50, 000 with a condition that he would stay in Delhi and report to the nearest police station regularly.

The court had ruled that Shiney would be permitted to come to Mumbai only during the trial.

Ahuja was arrested on June 14, 2009, after the maid lodged a complaint with Oshiwara police station alleging that she was raped by the actor in his flat while she was alone.

The fast track court in Sewri, which heard the case, had declared the maid as a hostile witness after she retraced her statement.

However, the trial had continued.

The police had filed a 109-page charge sheet against Ahuja with statements of 12 witnesses, forensic reports and other documentary evidence.